Starting device.



H. L. VAN VALKENBURG.

summc' DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEI. 2. ISIS- 1,215,224. Patentd Feb. 6,1917.

5 9 a a ig UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN L. VAN VALKENBURG, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO INDUS- TRIAL CONTROLLER COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

STARTING DEVICE.

Application filed February 2, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN L. VAN VAL- KENBURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Starting Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to starting devices for electric motors or the like, and more particularly to devices of this nature of use in connection with alternating currents, and has for its object the provision of means whereby a starting lever, for instance, may be maintained in a given position through the agency of electromagnetic means, provision being made for maintaining a steady condition of said means under the influence of an alternating current.

The device further contemplates the provision of means to prevent a rattling or similar noise due to the alternating current. The device further has means whereby a drop in voltage of a predetermined amount also exerts a positive release of the lever, for instance.

I will explain one form which my invention may take more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a rheostat starting device having my improved control apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the device in its alternative position, and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device as shown in Fig. 1.

One form of my invention as illustrated in the drawing consists of the box 1 of usual form adapted to contain resistance units respectively connected to contact strips 2 appearing upon the face of the box. A lever 3 is pivotally mounted upon the box structure as is customary and is held in the position of Fig. 1 by a spring, the protruding ends 4 of which will indicate its position. This lever is held in this limiting position of Fig. 1 against a stop 5, a spring 6 being interposed to prevent violent contact as this lever is being returned by the spring 4:. This lever carries a detent arm 7 formed of two links as shown having at one extremity a roller 8. A projecting stud 9 pivotally Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Serial No. 5,686.

supports this detent arm and a spring 10 normally holds it in the position shown in Fig. 1, that is,,the spring 10 tends to move this detent arm, that is, it tends to rotate the detent arm in a clockwise direction around the stud 9. The face of the box also carries an electromagnet or solenoid 11 controlling an armature 12 to which is fastened a weight 13. The magnet 11 is provided with a heel piece 14 as shown to complete the magnetic circuit to the armature 12. This armature is pivotally supported upon a stud 15 and has fixedly secured thereto an arm 16. This arm 16, which by thus being integral with the armature 12 moves with it, has pivotal engagement with a link or pair of links 17. The link 17 at its opposite extremity has pivotal engagement with a catch 18 by being pivotally secured to a depending finger forming part of said detent structure. This detent is rotatably mounted upon a stud 19.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the detent 18 is properly in its detent arm retaining position due to the presence of the weight 13 which holds the parts in the position shown. However, while these parts may be in their proper detaining position, yet with no magnetization present in the coil 11, this detent 18 would not be in position to hold the detent arm 7 against the action of the spring 1 as this pull would merely rotate the detent 18 contra-clockwise sufliciently to permit release of the roller 8.

It is not necessary for the detent 18 to move a great distance in order to releasethe 'roller 8, it being merely necessary that this detent 18 be rotated a slight distance to throw its surface 20 a little bit away from the vertical, at which time the roller 8 may roll up the incline, thus to release the arm 3. It will thus be seen that only a very slight movement of the armature 12 is necessary to move the detent from its releasing to its holding position. Thus a very much more accurate and sensitive electromagnetic structure can be used than would be otherwise possible.

It will also be seen that the links 16 and 17 being almost in a straight line when the detent is in its detaining position, it is only a very slight pull that is required to hold the armature 12 in its attracted position when the solenoid is energized, even though it is energized by alternating currents. The weight 13 by its inertia also aids to prevent the armature 12 from moving away from the electromagnet 11 during those portions of the time when the magnetization is low between alternations.

The use of the weight together with the arrangement of the structure in such a way that only a slight movement of the armature is necessary permits of its use satisfactorily with alternating currents. This arrangement of the structure of course comprehends the yielding motion of the arm 7 whereby the release of the arm 3 is permitted with only a very slight deviation from the vertical of the cam surface 20 provided upon the detent 18.

Now in order to avoid rattling of the armature structure I mount a small spring 21 upon the inner face of the armature 12 so that the free bent out extremity of this spring rests against the free extremity of the heel piece 14. This spring takes up the slight vibration that there may be between the parts so that no sound is emitted due to the alternations of the actuating current.

From what has been thus described it will be apparent that I have provided a structure having means to overcome the rattling or vibration of parts so as to make its use noiseless. Furthermore I have provided a structure in which only a slight movement of a detent releases an arm which is under considerable spring pressure so that a sensitive structure is provided capable of use in connection with alternating currents. It will also be apparent that the structure as herein illustrated specifically is for illustrative purposes and that it is susceptible of variations and modifications.

Having however thus described one form which my invention may take, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, an electromagnetically controlled detent, a yielding detent arm having a roller carried by said actuating arm, said detent having a finger provided with a holding surface substantially at right angles to the line of travel of said roller when said detent is in its arm detaining position, connections for said detent whereby said finger is adapted to change its angular position upon said release, and means for impelling said actuating arm to off position upon release by the said electromagnetically controlled detent.

2. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, an electromagnetically controlled detent, a yielding detent arm having a roller carried by said actuating arm, said detent having a finger provided with a holding surface substantially at right angles to the line of travel of said roller when said detent is in its arm detaining position, connections for said detent whereby said finger is adapted to change its angular position upon release, said roller due to the yielding motion of the arm on which it is connected releasing said actuating arm when said detent is shifted slightly from its detaining position, and means for impelling said actuating arm to off position upon release by the said electromagnetically controlled detent.

3. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, a yielding catch carried by said arm,a detent for cooperating with said catch, an electromagnet to control said detent, an armature for said electromagnet connected with said de tent, toggle mechanism interposed between said armature and said detent, a weight carried by said armature, and means for impelling said actuating arm to oif position-upon release of said armature.

4. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, a detent, a yielding detent arm carried by said actuating arm, an electromagnet, an armature for said electromagnet, toggle mechanism interposed between said armature and said detent, and means for impelling said actuating arm to off position upon release of said armature.

5. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, a yield-,'

ing detent arm carried by said arm, a detent for cooperating with said detent arm, an electromagnet to control said detent, an armature for said electromagnet connected with said detent, toggle mechanism interposed between said armature and said detent, a weight carried by said armature, said yielding detent arm carrying a roller and said detent having a finger provided with a surface substantially at right angles to the movement of said roller said toggle mechanism serving to tilt said detent when in its release position, and means for impelling said actuating arm to ofl position upon release of said armature.

6. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, a detent, a yielding detent arm carried by said actuating arm, an electromagnet, an armature, for said electromagnet, a Weight for said armature, said yielding detent arm carrying a roller and said detent having a finger provided with a surface substantially at right angles to the movement of said roller, connections for said first aforesaid detent whereby it is tilted when in a release position, and means for impelling said actuating arm to off position upon release of said armature.

7. A starting device of the character described having an actuating arm, a detent, a yielding detent arm carried by said actilted when in a release position, and means for impelling said actuating arm to off po- 10 sition upon release of said armature.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 10th day of November, A. D.

HERMAN L- VAN YALKENBUBG. 

